BIJLSMA RG (1988) The Goshawk Accipiter gentilis in the Netherlands in the 20th century. LIMOSA 61 (3): 133-136.

Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis The published information on the occurrence and abundance of Goshawks in the Netherlands during the 20th century has been re-analyzed. Up to 1930 probably less than 100 pairs were present. The low population level was mainly caused by systematic persecution by man. From 1930 onwards, the population started to increase to a maximum of c. 400 pairs in the late fifties. The growth of the population was made possible by the increase in the potential breeding area (as a result of afforestation of heaths and sand dunes in the late 19th and early 20th century), a corresponding increase in food availability, and year round protection since 1936. In the late fifties, a drastic decline became apparent and by the turn of the next decade the population reached its lowest level with 75-100 pairs. The widespread use of organochlorine pesticides is held responsible for this population crash. Following the ban on persistent pesticides in the late sixties and early seventies, the Goshawk population quickly recovered to 500-600 pairs in 1973-77, 1200-1400 pairs in 1979-83 and 1300-1700 pairs in 1986 (fig. I). The preferred breeding habitats in coniferous and mixed woodland in the eastern part of the country became saturated in 1980-83 (fig. 2). The occupation of marshy woodlands and isolated wood lots in the alluvial part of the Netherlands - a phenomenon hitherto unknown - resulted in an ongoing increase, albeit at a slower rate than during the period of 1975-I983. It is thought that the Goshawk population will stabilize at a level of 1500-2000 pairs in the near future.

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